Long and strong: Jeffries, Woodard are prototypes for what Kings want in wing defenders
In the whirlwind weeks leading up to the NBA Draft and free agency, new Kings general manager Monte McNair and coach Luke Walton talked about the team’s strengths and weaknesses. One big weakness was their lack of strength.
The Kings saw something in DaQuan Jeffries, a 23-year-old wing who went undrafted out of Tulsa in 2019. They saw something similar in Robert Woodard II, a sophomore from Mississippi State. Both players possessed a combination of size, strength and athleticism that made them prototypes for an organization that wants to surround young cornerstones De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and Marvin Bagley III with a collection of long, strong, physical wing defenders.
“Yeah, absolutely, we talked about it this offseason and the type of people we want to continue to get into our system and our team,” Walton said. “Size, versatility, toughness — these are things we want to start surrounding our group with.”
The Kings (12-18) lost seven in a row going into Tuesday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets (20-12) at Barclays Center. They are last in the league in scoring defense at 119.6 points per game. They have allowed 124.3 points per game during their current losing streak.
With experience, Jeffries, 23, might be a difference-maker on defense. He is a solidly constructed, 6-foot-5, 230-pound small forward with a 7-foot wingspan. The Kings signed him to a two-way contract last season and brought him back this season on a two-year, $3 million deal with a team option in the second year.
After returning from back and ankle injuries that caused him to miss the start of the season, Jeffries has made the most of an unexpected opportunity with Harrison Barnes sidelined due to a left foot strain. With Glenn Robinson III now away from the team due to personal reasons, and the possibility of roster changes before the March 25 trade deadline, the Kings feel fortunate to have Jeffries back.
“We definitely missed Quan,” Kings center Richaun Holmes said. “We understand what he brings to this team. Toughness on the defensive side of the ball is definitely something he brings.”
Jeffries is showing what he can do at the offensive end, too. He scored 17 points in a 118-110 loss to the Miami Heat on Thursday and topped that with a career-high 18 points in a 128-115 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. He added six rebounds, two assists, one blocked shot and one steal against the Bucks, giving the Kings some physicality on defense against two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and two-time All-Star Khris Middleton.
“I thought he was one of those guys that played really well for us,” Walton said. “He just plays with an edge and a toughness that we saw last year and we were excited to get back this year. We had him on Middleton, who’s an All-Star, and Giannis, who’s the MVP, and he doesn’t back down. That doesn’t mean he got stops, but he doesn’t back down and that’s the kind of attitude we want to have on the floor.”
Woodard, a 21-year-old rookie, is a 6-6, 235-pound small forward with a 7-1 wingspan. The Kings acquired him in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies after he was chosen with the 40th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Woodard made an immediate impression in training camp. Kings guard Cory Joseph said “that dude is jacked” and Walton pointed out he had the highest bench press on the team, a rare feat for a rookie.
Woodard has appeared in only six games for the Kings this season, but he has been a standout in the G League bubble after being flex-assigned to the Austin Spurs. In eight games for the Spurs, Woodard has averaged 15.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.0 blocks while throwing down highlight-reel dunks and helping his team go 5-3.
Jeffries is already carving out a role for himself in Sacramento. Woodard could get an opportunity to earn minutes with the Kings when the shortened G League season wraps up in early March.
“DaQuan, we like him as a player,” Walton said. “I think the more experience he gets, the more he can feel what it’s like to guard different types of scorers, the better he’ll become.
“Woodard, obviously he’s a rookie and he needs a ton of experience himself, and he’s getting some good experience down in the bubble right now. But, yeah, that mentality and that build are things we’re looking for, for sure.”
This story was originally published February 23, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
